Family Report 2011

Even though most families in the Netherlands are functioning well, single-parent families and those with low income face "unfavourable circumstances" and put their children in greater risk of developing physical and psychosocial problems, according to The Netherlands Institute for Social Research.

Among others, the Family Report 2011, which describes family life in the Netherlands today, reveals that:

› Since 2008, the number of children growing up in poverty has been constantly rising.

› More than 6% of all children grow up in families where there are not enough money for basic needs (food, clothing, housing, personal care and transport). This percentage exceeds 9% if expenditure on recreation and social participation are included.

› Children in lower-income families are more likely (1,5 - 3 times) to have problems with "behaviour, hyperactivity, emotions and interaction with other children," while parents often suffer from stress and experience raising their children more negatively.

› Most parents find combining paid work with looking after their children to be "a demanding but enriching experience" and successfully manage to combine the two.

› 15% of parents use physical punishment.

› The majority of the population tolerate different family formations but believe that a child needs both parents in order to grow up happily.

› Approximately 15% react against childlessness and having / raising children in a non-marital or homosexual relationship.

› The percentage of parents with children living at home has fallen sharply, from 44% in 1981 to 28% in 2010.

› 40% of parents receive practical support from grandparents at least once a month.

Note that nearly 2.700 parents were questioned and "family" is defined as "any relationship involving one or more adults who have responsibility for caring for and raising one or more children."

In the report it is written "practical support such as help with caring for the children and babysitting", not specifying if this includes financial means. Particularly parents with younger kids (four years and under) receive this "practical support".

Thanks for sharing this Kate! As an expat single parent you meet the challenge of not having grandparents and other family members who can help you with "practical support" and as you wrote it must be important to create a network of people who you can rely on.